Man of Honor
by horrorphile
Summary: Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham try to save Alexandria by leading the walkers away from the walls. Daryl is going to lead the walkers down into the quarry.


Man of Honor

Daryl looked over the herd that surrounded Alexandria's walls. He looked at Sasha and Abe, "You ready to do this?"

Abe snorted, "I love the smell of really dead walker in the morning."

Sasha rolled her eyes, "Piece of cake. You will draw this herd after you to the quarry. Abe and I are going to the quarry with Glenn and Enid. We'll have the rocket launcher set up by the time you get there. You will have the radio blaring as you drive the truck to the bottom. You run like hell to the other road and Abe and Glenn wait until e most of the herd is down at the bottom of the quarry. They send a RPG at the truck. The noise will attract the walkers in that direction. Enid and I will use our rifles to knock anything in your way up the hill. Glenn and Abe blow up the road behind you so that the walkers can't get out that way. They blow up the other road sealing the dead inside the quarry. The noise and fire will continue to attract walkers toward the quarry. We go home heroes."

Sasha kissed Daryl on the cheek, "I could drive the truck. I ran track in high school."

Daryl shook his head, "You are better with the rifle than any of us. I want your talented ass on the trigger of the rifle that is protecting me. This ain't no suicide mission. I want to get home."

"Got the hot mama waiting on him. He stays gone much longer some other stallion will be in his stable." Abe laughed. "Let's go, Sharpshooter Sasha. Time to light up some undead asses."

Glenn patted his back, "You got this? I can do it."

"Short round, just don't light up my notdead ass. Okay?" Daryl got in the truck and put the wires together that caused the horn to start blowing and not stop. He drove toward Alexandria and began weaving through the walkers. "Noise going to give me a headache," he muttered to himself. Daryl took a longing look at Alexandria's walls. At least they were still standing and that meant that Carol and Judith and all those that he loved were safe. "See you soon, sweetheart," he called out in the direction of the town.

The sturdy truck began the slow drive toward the quarry. The walkers seemed torn between the walls of the town and the slow moving food truck and Daryl leaned out of the truck and set off a volley of automatic rifle fire. That caught their attention and the bulk of the herd began to stagger in his direction.

Daryl had been in some tough spots before but this might be the worse. The edge of the herd was only a few yards from his bumper. He had trusted his bike to keep on moving but this truck might stop at any minute.

 _Fuck all that negativity, Daryl,_ he reminded himself. _Remember who you are doing this for._ _Concentrate on a positive outcome._ He began his mantra, "I drive to the bottom of the quarry. I run like hell on the road out of there. I go home a hero. I put my arms around Carol and tell her that I love her." He said it aloud over and over as he led the herd away. Daryl recognized that his breathing was now back to normal and that he wasn't clutching the steering wheel with a death grip.

The quarry was in front of him now and there were a few walkers stumbling along the road in front of him and he bumped a few of them with his front bumper. He began the descent into the pits of hell. Walkers were clawing at his truck as he edged down the road. The brakes felt a little loose and he said his mantra a little faster than before. Daryl decided that he would say the part about putting his arm around Carol twice. It was his favorite part and it was his damn mantra.

The brakes gave out two thirds of the way down and he just let the truck rumble down to the bottom. It was still moving slowly when he jumped out and began running. The mantra running on its endless loop in his mind.

Sasha was doing her thing. He could see walkers in his way dropping over and hear the crack of the rifle shot. Daryl had abandoned the rifle and was using his knife to clear his path.

He made it to the road going up before the first RPG hit the truck. The force of the blast knocked him off his feet. That was the bad news. The good news was that it knocked every walker on the road with him on their ass too. The steep climb up the quarry side slowed him down and reminded him to quit smoking. Sasha was taking out part of the walkers but there were still some in his way.

This time when he heard the whine of the RPG he braced himself and looked toward the other road. The explosion took out a sizable section of the road. No walker would find its way out of here now. Walkers were continuing to move down the road and were falling to the bottom of the quarry.

He started running again. The walkers on this road were dazed from the concussive blasts and he was able to move around them. The next blast took out the road behind him. He was nearly to the top then and he could see the big suv that Glenn had driven here.

He was still repeating the mantra when Abe grabbed him, "You made it. Going to send another one down to the bottom and then we're going to try to get home. Sasha gave him a drink of water and he watched as Abe aimed at an abandoned truck in the quarry. It must have been full of fuel because that blast shook the ground. The walkers at the rim of the quarry moved toward the source of sound in their mindless way falling hundreds of feet to the bottom.

Abe drove them home. There were walkers moving on the road toward the quarry. Daryl sat quietly in the back seat. There were walkers around the walls but they were able to get in through the gates.

Carl and Ron met Enid. Rosita grabbed Abe. Maggie cried and hugged Glenn. Sasha was greeted by Father Gabriel and Spencer. Daryl shook off Rick and Michonne, "Where's Carol?"

He saw her then, walking toward him with Judith in her arms. He began to run toward her. _I put my arms around Carol and tell her I love her_. Daryl pulled them both close to him, "I love you."

Carol seemed to hesitant and then he could feel her hug him back. Rick and Michonne were beside them now and he handed Judith to them, "Watch your own damn kid."

Rick pounded him on the back and Michonne hugged him, "Glad to see you back, but go take a shower. You smell like ashes."

Daryl never took his eyes off of Carol's face, "We ain't ashes."

He stayed in the shower until he ran out of hot water. His filthy clothes were gone when he got out. _Carol has them in the trash by now_. _She could have offered to wash my back while she was in here._ He got dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Carol was heating up something in a pot.

"I meant what I said." Daryl began, "I love you."

Carol turned around. "You deserve better than me. You need a younger woman who can give you children. I'm used up."

Carol handed him a bowl of hot stew. Daryl looked at her as he sat down, "You told me one time that you wanted a man of honor. I thought about that as I was running my ass off up a steep road at the quarry. I figured if I made it. I was a man of honor. A hero. I would finally deserve you."

Carol's eyes filled with tears, "Daryl, don't."

Daryl took a bite of stew. "I want you. I ain't no prize, but I love you. Am I a man of honor or not?"

She gave him a watery smile, "You are a man of honor."

"We took the herd twenty miles out and left them. Then we got ambushed by some group. Got separated and I found some people out there and tried to bring them back. They stole my bike and my crossbow. I was pissed. Felt sorry for myself. Felt like trying to be good to people wasn't worth it. Then I found that truck. Sasha and Abe had found a rocket launcher and RPG's. We couldn't have driven the walkers away if we didn't have those things." Daryl ate some more, "I kept myself from freaking out my repeating the plan over and over. The last line of the plan was to put my arms around you and tell you I love you."

Carol wiped her eyes, "I scare myself sometimes. I have so much blood on my hands and it just keeps piling up. We were attacked by the wolves while you were gone. They came inside the walls and killed everyone in their path. I had to put Sarah down after a wolf gutted her. Morgan had taken one of the wolves as prisoner and I killed him. I'm a murderer. I am Death."

Daryl chose his words carefully, "You did what you have to do. We don't take prisoners. Carol, we will have to kill again to protect those we love. You hate it, but it's necessary."

Carol moved away from him, "It's worse than that. I came back to the prison to find Mika and Lizzie. They were with Tyreese and Judith. Tyreese didn't know what I had done and he was glad to see me. Lizzie was always odd. I knew that but I didn't know how confused she really was. She believed that being a walker was a way to stay alive. That they were her friends. I tried to talk sense into her and I thought she got it. Tyreese and I went out the next morning to check on things and when we got back Lizzie was covered with Mika's blood. Lizzie had killed her to show me that Mika would come back and be fine. She would have killed Judith if we hadn't got back right then." She fell silent and Daryl knew that she needed to tell the story.

Daryl moved toward her, "Keep talking to me."

Carol looked out the window and ignored him, "Tyreese and I talked that night. He couldn't take care of Judith by himself. We decided what had to be done and I did it. I killed Lizzie."

Daryl tried to put his arms around her and she pushed him away, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

"I love you, Carol. I understand why you did it. Lizzie is in heaven with Sophia and Mika. Things work out the way they are supposed to."

Carol turned toward him, "Mika used to say that thing work out the way they are supposed to."

Daryl put his arms around her and said, "I love you."

Carol buried her face in his neck, "You keep saying that."

"Because it's true. I need to feel you close to me and I love you. I think if I do that long enough then you will sooner or later put your arms around me and say, "I love you." He kissed the top of her head and smelled her shampoo. "You smell good."

Carol put her arms around him, "I love you. Let's go upstairs." She said it a little unwillingly but she said it and that was enough for now. Going upstairs sounded like a good idea to him.

Daryl took her hand, "Now you gotta remember that I have a burn on my arm and I haven't had much sleep. So lower your expectations." He kissed her and she responded hesitantly.

Carol put medicine on his burn and helped him out of his clothes. He waited on the bed while she undressed. "My beautiful Carol."

She sat on the bed beside him, "I don't know if I can go through with this."

He ran his fingers through her curls, "We can take it slow. I mean it isn't like there are all sorts of shit headed our way and this might be our only opportunity to be together."

Carol laughed, "Just lower your expectations, Daryl."

"Sweetheart, I never thought I'd get past your tongue in my mouth today and here you are all naked right beside me."

She laughed again and kissed him and they scooted onto the bed and kissed for a while. Deep kisses in which their tongues went exploring and their hands wandered to places that had been previously covered up.

Daryl liked the low moan Carol gave as he thumbed her nipples and then sucked them hard into his mouth. Her hands were exploring him and he didn't think this was going to be a marathon. He had always been more of sprinter.

He slid his hand between her legs and eased a finger in. She was warm and wet and his finger glided along until he felt her clit. He rubbed it gently and she made another low moan. Daryl would have liked to bring her to climax slowly by touching her but he knew he wasn't going to last much longer.

Daryl kissed his way down to her center and put her legs over his shoulders. "Just let go, Carol." He used his fingers to spread her open and took his prize with his mouth. She bucked into him and made another more urgent moan. It was quick but he could feel her tense up and then release. Carol made the little squeaky sounds when she came. She caught her breath for a few seconds then guided him into her. He looked into her eyes and knew that she understood that he was close and she wanted him inside her when he came. Just knowing that Carol wanted him seemed to steady him. He smiled at her, "I love you."

Carol put her arms around him, "I love you too."

Daryl began to push his way in and out of her. Her eyes were focused on him and he felt her respond to a deep thrust with a push back of her own. Together they found the rhythm that allowed him to push into her farther and farther. Then he hit someplace in her that made her start the squeaky sounds and he kept thrusting even after she finished. She was holding him close to her when he gave one final push and released himself in her.

They both stared at the ceiling while they caught their breath. Then Carol rolled into his arms and they held each other. Daryl nuzzled her neck, "I am such a damn stud. You are one lucky woman to have me taking care of business even if I am half dead."

Carol laughed, "The two years of foreplay probably had something to do with it."

Daryl protested, "I never touched you before today. That was all me."

Carol ran her index finger around his nipple, "Well, I might have spent some time fantasizing about being with you. Did you think that way about me?"

Daryl laughed, "All the damn time. The real thing is better though. Safer too, almost got bit once when I was supposed to be hunting and I got to thinking about the tank top you were wearing when I left that morning."

"We should get up and get dressed. I have things to do." Carol kissed him and shoved herself away from him, "You are not going to distract me anymore."

He watched her get dressed. "So what are we now?"

Carol grinned at him, "We are a couple. Sleep in the same bed. Have lots of sex and have occasional arguments."

Daryl nodded, "That sounds good. We will hold hands when we walk around town and everyone will know that we belong to each other."

Carol nodded, "Get your ass up, Dixon. You men of honor always have to be out doing good deeds. Can't be lying around the bed all day having sex when danger is near."

Daryl muttered, "Fuck being a man of honor then."

Carol waited for him downstairs. He took her hand as they went out the door to face whatever was coming their way. What happened to them it would be alright because they would be doing it together. Daryl liked the sound of that word, "Together."

 **AN**

 **Why would I write this story when all my wip are out there whining to be finished? Some stories want to be told.**

 **Carol told Daryl at the end of Season Two that she wanted a man of honor. Daryl has grown into being a man of honor and even if his good intentions don't always work out? He is still trying.**

 **Glenn lives.**

 **SAD (Sasha, Abe, and Daryl) have a fuel truck, a rocket launcher, and some RPGs. Might as well use them to wipe out the local herd.**

 **Review?**

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